Seasonal tips for fall

Freezing winter months can become all the more arduous with plumbing problems. To make your winter as comfortable as possible, it is essential that you take care of any plumbing-related problems in autumn itself. Here are a few seasonal tips for autumn that will help you keep away plumbing trouble during winter.

Clear the leaves and debris from gutters and downspouts outside; don’t wait till the end of the season.

Disconnect any water hoses outside the house

Check all the faucets for leaks, drips and get the faulty ones repaired immediately

Shut-off water flow to the pipes outside and clear any residue water in the pipes

Faucets in the open space outside your home should be insulated using the Styrofoam faucet insulation kits, which are available at hardware stores.

Pipes in areas without insulation, like in garages or crawl spaces, are exposed to cold and are prone to freezing. Protect them by wrapping heat tapes or heat cables controlled by thermo-stat

Clean your water heater by flushing out the water in its pipes. Heaters can hold several gallons of water which should be removed through the faucet at the bottom of the tank, to get rid of any sediment accumulated inside it. Make sure you refer to the user’s manual before doing that.

Get the sump pump and the pit inspected and cleaned

If you are going away for winter, make sure that you drain all the water in the pipes after shutting down the main valve. Open the faucets at the highest and the lowest levels for clearing the pipes of all water. Also, keep the heat on and set the thermostat to 55 degrees at least. If you have a vacation home, make sure you hire a reliable plumbing professional to do help your prepare the home for winter months.